Bank leaders say phrase ‘black market’ is racist and should not be used

Bank leaders say phrase ‘black market’ is racist and should not be used

The phrase 'black market' can no longer be used because it is racist, banking leaders have said as Tory MPs dismiss the guidance as 'woke nonsense'

PA
Georgina Cutler

By Georgina Cutler


Published: 04/08/2023

- 10:02

A banking chief said the body takes issues in society 'extremely seriously'

The phrase “black market” can no longer be used because it is racist, banking leaders have said as Tory MPs dismiss the guidance as "woke nonsense".

UK Finance - a lobby group which represents the interests of Britain’s banks and those in financial services - suggest that people should use "illegal market".


To avoid racial bias or discrimination, the group say the cyber security term “black hat”, which refers to an unauthorised user on a network, should be replaced with “unethical”, while “functional test” should be used instead of “sanity check” in a bid not to “infer a level of disability”.

The chief executive of UK Finance, David Postings said the body takes issues in society “extremely seriously”.

The chief executive of UK Finance, David Postings said the body takes issues in society 'extremely seriously'

PA

However, Conservative MP, Nigel Mills claims the guidance is “woke nonsense”, adding: “You’d think bank bosses would have their focus on the country’s economy rather than this.”

The phrase “man in the middle”, which implies a cyber attack, was also said to be gender biased.

According to the guidance, it should be replaced with “network interception”.

A cyber attack check to see how secure a network is, known as “penetration testing”, should now be called “ethical hacking” or “blue testing”.

A spokesman for UK Finance said: “Two years ago, we issued a report in conjunction with EY and Microsoft that looked at the issue of language in technology and cyber security.”

The move follows advice from a charity for doctors to refer to a vagina as a “bonus hole” to avoid upsetting transgender men.

Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust said “bonus hole” and “front hole” were acceptable options to vagina, as the word could “cause someone to feel hurt or distressed”.

NHS managers have also been urged not to sympathise with female colleagues worried about sharing toilets with biological males, according to a new woke handbook.

Conservative MP, Nigel Mills claims the guidance is 'woke nonsense'

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Hospital workers in the North East have been told to comply with the handbook which bans team leaders using phrases such as "I understand your concerns" to anyone who complains about the issue.

The document also states that it is discriminatory not to use a trans or non-binary person's preferred pronoun.

South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust has been accused of unlawfully discriminating against employees with gender-critical views as critics say it is "a recipe for bullying women".

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